News Roundup 21 March 2024
Mar 21, 2024 • 4 min Read
DFA launches e-Apostille service; first in Asean region | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Consular Affairs (DFA – OCA) on announced that it launched an e-Apostille service for civil registry documents.
According to the DFA, the system will allow the public to apply online for e-documents and e-Apostilles from the Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA) without having to appear in both offices.
DFA Undersecretary Antonio Morales said that the Philippines was the first in Southeast Asia to implement the e-Apostille system.
“It is noteworthy to mention that the Philippines was the first country in ASEAN to accede to the Apostille Convention. We have continued our leadership in this area by being the first in ASEAN and the third in the Asia-Pacific region to fully implement the electronic Apostille today,” Morales said on Tuesday.
The DFA said that the e-Apostille system is available for the PSA civil registry documents via PSA Helpline, but it is working to include other public documents in the future.
Meanwhile, payments can be made in the PSA Helpline page and in the Landbank Link.biz portal.
Full Story at: DFA launches e-Apostille service; first in Asean region (inquirer.net)
Solons optimistic SMNI issue will be tackled by Senate impartially | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Despite allegations that Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy has many allies in the Senate, several members of the House of Representatives believe the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) franchise issue would be tackled impartially.
Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, during the Makabayan bloc’s press briefing on Thursday said she is sure that discerning senators are present and will ensure that discussions are done on SMNI’s franchise issue.
Brosas said this after House Bill (HB) No. 9710 — which seeks to revoke the franchise given to SMNI — was approved with 284 lawmakers voting in the affirmative, four voting in the negative, and four abstaining. After the approval, the bill was ordered forwarded to the Senate.
“If this will reach the Senate, I’m sure there are discerning lawmakers there and I think they will not allow false information to prevail,” she said.
“So between that, it is true that there are many who support (Quiboloy) and we think that is wrong because they should not support him or block moves to ferret out the truth regarding several incidents,” she added.
According to Brosas, the Senate is actually advanced in terms of discussing issues involving Quiboloy, because it is discussing alleged sex crimes and trafficking raps against the televangelist.
Full Story at: Solons optimistic SMNI issue will be tackled by Senate impartially | Inquirer News
Over 1 million passengers expected at NAIA this Holy Week | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — More than one million passengers are expected to flock to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country’s main gateway, this Holy Week, the Manila International Airport (MIAA) said on Thursday.
MIAA anticipates a 15% rise in passenger volume next week compared to the 926,755 travelers that passed through NAIA’s four terminals from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday in 2023.
According to MIAA, passenger numbers for the first 14 days of March averaged 132,367 daily.
During this Holy Week, passenger traffic could reach 140,000 on a single day, a figure close to pre-pandemic levels. The Lenten season before the pandemic saw an average of 140,812 passengers daily, or 1,126,501 for eight days.
“Our domestic operations, in particular, have been consistently surpassing pre-pandemic flight movement and passenger volume. We anticipate travelers taking advantage of exploring local destinations, the ease and convenience of air travel, summer airline promotions, or simply vacationing and being with family during this time,” MIAA General Manager Eric Ines said.
Full Story at: Over 1 million passengers expected at NAIA this Holy Week | Philstar.com
DOH backs calorie labeling policy for healthier eating choices | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday expressed its support for a proposed calorie labeling policy in Quezon City, a move expected to help people to make healthier dietary decisions.
“This will enable Filipinos to make informed and healthy choices on what to eat,” the DOH said.
The local government of Quezon City passed an ordinance that requires large and mid-sized restaurants to display calorie information for each food item on their menus. This policy awaits only the signature of Mayor Joy Belmonte to be enforced.
Public interest group ImagineLaw, which collaborated with the Quezon City government on this policy, previously said that calorie labeling aims to create a healthier food environment to prevent obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases.
Around 27 million Filipinos were overweight and obese, according to a 2019 survey of the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute.
Full Story at: DOH backs calorie labeling policy for healthier eating choices | Philstar.com
